Automatic feeding mechanism.



R. G. CLARK.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

1,175,930. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. G. CLARK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 19M. 1,175,930. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

N 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

i avwentoz R. G. CLARK.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1914.

1,1538% Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- citizen of the United States,

to illustrate the same,

Parana @FFliClE.

M ROBERT G. CLARK, OF NEW YOBK, 1\T. Y.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

I Application filed May 27,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT G. CLARK, a and resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Automatic Feeding Mechanism, 9f which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic feeding mechanism for feeding blanks to a machine for operating upon the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism which shall be positive in its action and capable'of feeding the blanks rapidly..

As an illustration of one of the many uses to which this invention may be put, a can body forming machine may be mentioned with which my improved feeding mechanism may be used for feeding the metal blanks to the machine which forms the same into the can bodies.

In carrying out the invention 1 provide means for springing or bending one edge of the blank away from the remaining blanks in the pile and then separating this blank from the pile and advancing or feeding the same to the machine.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter in connection with the description which follows of the feeding mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings in which I have shown and described a feeding mechanism adapted particularly for feeding metal blanks to a can body forming machine.

In the drawings like parts in the several views have been given the same reference numerals, the parts of the can body forming machine as well as the operatin mechanism having been omitted, as it wil he understood that the particular construction of the same is not essential to the features of this invention, which may be adapted for use in connection with various machines of this nature.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my automatic feeding mechanism attached to a can body forming machine. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the operating parts in another position. Figs. 3 and 1 are sectional side elevations on the line 33 of Fig. 5, showing a portion of the operating mechanismin successive positions. Fig. 5

Fatented Ma. 21, rare. 1914. Serial misareai.

is a detailed planview of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 1. I

will be understood that this mechanism may be. arranged to be mounted upon and operated from the machine with which it is used. A portion of the table of a can body machine is shown at 1 and the feed bars at 2 and 3.

A plate 4: is mounted upon the feed bars 2 and 3, upon which the supports 5 and 6 for the blanks are mounted. An inclined flat top? is mounted upon the support 5, which support also carries a cam memb which is positioned to engage a cam roller 9 mounted at one end of the lever 10, which is pivotally mounted at 11 upon the hopper frame. A releasable stop prises a stop lever 12 mounted upon a shaft 16 at the opposite end of the lever 10 and positioned to engage a latch 13, which is also pivotally mounted at 11 1 upon the lever 10. A. spring 15 is attached to the stop lever 12 and to the latch 13 at its other end, operating the same in the manner which will be hereinafter described.

The. lever 10 carries outer end, upon which. the stop lever 12 and also a picker finger 17 are mounted. The picker finger 17 is provided at its lower end with an engaging portion or picker steel 18.

An arm 19 is attached to the plate 4: and operates a cam slide 20, which is adjustably attached thereto and provided with a cam slot 21, shown in Figs. 1 and 5., A cam block 22 is attached to the slide 23 in position to be engaged in the cam-slot 21 and operated thereby. The slide 23 carries the front. and back slide fingers 24 and 25, respectively, which are adjustably mounted thereupon.

The slide 23 is carried and operated upon supports'26 and 27, provided with shoulders 28 and 29, respectively, which engage the cam block 22 in its extreme positions and limit the movement of the slide 23.

The supports 26 and 27 are attached to the support 30, which is adjustably mounted upon a suitable bracket 31, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A releasing finger 32 is mounted upon the slide 23 in position to engage the upper end of the picker finger 17 as the slide 23is reciprocated to the position shown in Fig. 2 to move the finger 32 into the dotted position shown in Fig. 4;, allowing the lower blank -B to fall upon the feed bars 2 and 3, as shown in Fig.2.

the shaft 16 at its mechanism com- 7 move the slide ward by the feed bars The pile of blanks A to befed to the machine is held in an angular orinclin'ed position by means of a hopper frame, which is adjustable to accommodate blanks of different sizes. This hopper frame may be composed of a side member 34, which is attached to the block 33 mounted upon the adjustable support 30, end members 35 and 36 and the rear member 37 adjust-ably attached thereto. The end member 38 is also attached to the members 35 and 36, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

spring post 39 may be attached to the hopper frame 34, to which is attached one end of the spring 40 which operates the lever 10, as will be described hereinafter.

he opposite end of the hopper frame may be of similar construction, comprising a side member 41, end members 42 and 43 and a rear side member 44, the construction and arrangement of which will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

The feed bars 2 and 3 are oscillated by the mechanism of the can body machine and as the same are moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 the slide 20" is operated, causing the cam slot 21 of the slide 20 to engage the cam block 22 and 23 inwardly. This movement of the feed bars 2 and 3 and plate 4, carrying the support 5 and cam 8, permits the cam roller and lever 10 to be'swung about its pivot 11 by the spring 40, causing the outer end of the lever 10, together with the picker finger 17, to be moved down- Wardly, causing the picker steel 18 to engage one edge of the lower 'blank B- of the pile and bend the same downwardly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The slide 23 has moved inwardly and caused the fingers 24 and 25 to engage over the upper side of the blank -B which has been bent downwardly and hold the same in this position while the releasing finger 32 engages the picker finger 17, moving same out of engagement with the blank B, as shown in Fig. 4. During this operation the supports 5 and 6 move from under the pile of blanks to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position, or during which portion of the operation, the fingers 24 and 25 support the remaining blanks in the pile. This permits the lower blank -B to drop away from the pile to the feed bars 2 and 3 and, as the same advance from their first position, the front edge of the plate 4 engages the blank and feeds the same forward to ,the machine the blank moving in a direction parallel to the edge which has been engaged by the picker finger. As the plate 4 is moved for- 2 and 3 the supports 5 and 6 are again brought underthe pile ofblanks and the cam slide 20 moves the slide 23 and its attached parts outwardly to their original positions. The picker finger stood by reference to Figs. 1

17, being mounted upon the shaft 16 together with the stop lever 12, is operatively held by means of the spring 15 in lts normal position and when the releasing finger 32 engages the picker fingen17, the stop lever 12 is moved out of engagement with the latch 13, which then holds'the same in its outer position until the latch is moved into engagement .with the finger 45, which is mounted upon the support 30, and caused to release the stop lever by the upward movement of the outer endof the lever 10, caused by the cam member 8 engagingthe roller 9 upon the return movement of the feed bars and plate, as will be readily underand 2.

The parts now having been returned to their original position, the same operation is repeated and the next succeeding blank is fed from the lower side of the pile in the hopper. Y

It will be noted that the angular position of the pile of blanks in the hopper causes the edges or ends of the same to occupy a position inwhich they are very readily engaged by the picker arm and separated successively from the pile.

The construction of the device is extremely simple and, on account of the peculiar features of operation, render it possible to feed the blanks with great rapidity. It will be u understood that this feeding mechanism may be adapted for use with various types of machines to which it is desired to feed blanks successively.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention designed without departing-from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims, it is intended that all matter herein contained or described or shown in the ace coinpanying. drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative merely of an operative embodiment of my invention and not in a limiting sense.

VVha-t I claim is .1. Feeding mechanism for blanks comprising, in combination, blank advancing means, a movably mounted support for the pile of blanks carried by said blank advancin means, means adapted to bend the edge 0 the lowermost blank away from the pile while the latter'rests on the saidsupport, and a second supporting device for the pile of blanks adapted to'project above the ng means, means adapted to bend the edge of the lowermost blank away from the pile while the latter rests on the said support, and a second supporting device for the pile of blanks adapted to project above the lowermostblank and support the remaining blanks when the first mentioned support is movedby the blank advancing means from under the pile ofblanks, and means for reciprocating said second support at right angles to the path of movement of the first mentioned support.

3. Feeding mechanism for blanks comprising, in combination, blank advancing means, a movably mounted support for the pile of blanks carried by said blank advancing means, means adapted to bend the edge ot'the lowermost blank away from the pile while the latter rests on the said support, and a second supporting device for the pile of blanks adapted to project above the lowermost blank and support the remaining blanks when moved by theblank advancing means from under the pile of blanks, and means for re'-' ciprocating said second support at right angles to the path of movement of the first mentioned support, said means including a slide operated by the blank advancing.

means, a second slide upon which said second support is mounted and cotiperating cam members upon said slides.

4. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger is pivotally mounted, means for operating said lever and picker finger to cause the latter to engage and bend one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks in a pile, a reciprocatory device adapted to separate the said blank from the pile, means mounted upon said device adapted to release said picker finger from the blank, and means for advancing the blank.

5.. Feeding mechanism prising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks, means for bending one edge of the bottom blank away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for separating said blank from the pile, and means for sliding said blank in a direction parallel to the said bent edge from under the pile.

6. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, means for moving said picker finger transversely to the plane of the blank causing one end of the blank to be bent away from, the adjacent blanks in thepile, means for moving said picker finger out of engagement with said blank, means for separating said blank from 5 the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

the first mentioned support is for blanks, com

7 Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combinatiom'means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a pivotally mounted picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, means for moving said picker finger transversely to the plane of the blank causing one end of the blank to be bent away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for moving said picker finger out ofengagement with said blank, means for separating said blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

8. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a pivotally mounted picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, means adapted for holding the edge of the blank after bending, means for moving said icker finger transversely to the plane of t eblank causing one edge of the blank to be buckled away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for moving said picker finger out of engagement with said blank, means for separatingsaid blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

9. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, incombination, eans for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger is mounted, means for operating said lever to move said picker finger transversely to the plane of the blank causing one edge of the blank to be bent away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for moving said picker finger out of engagement with said blank, means for separating said blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

10. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank; a lever upon which said picker finger is mounted, a slide arranged to engage and, operate said lever and to move said picker finger transversely to the plane of the blank causing one edge of the blank to be bent away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for moving said picker finger out of engagement with said blank, means for separating said blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

11. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of, a blank, a lever uponwhich said picker finger is mounted, means adapted to move said picker finger relatively to the lever into engagement with the blank, releasable stop mechanism operative to prevent movement the blank to cause one edge of the blank to be bent away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means operating in conjunction with said lever'operating means for releas- 'ment to said slide,

ing the said stop mechanism, means for separating the blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

12. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a reciprocatory device for advancing the blank, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger is pivotally mounted, means carried by said reciprocatory device for operating said lever and picker finger to cause the picker finger to engage and bend one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks in a pile, means for releasing said picker finger from the blank, means for separating the blank from the pile.

l3. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an inclined position, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger is pivotally mounted, means for operating said lever and picker finger to cause the picker finger to engage and bend one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means adapted to engage and release said picker finger from the blank, means for separating the blank from the pile, and means for advancing the blank.

l4. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks in an'inclined position, a picker finger having a engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger is pivotally mounted, a slide adapted to operate said lever, means for imparting whereby said'picker finger is caused to engage and bend one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means for releasing said picker finger from the blank, means for separating portion adapted to a reciprocating movethe blank from the pile, "and means for advancing the blank.

15. Feeding mechanism for blanks, com-- means for advancing the blank.

16. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of'blanksin an inclined position, a picker finger having a portion adapted to engage one edge of a blank, a lever upon which said picker finger'is pivotally mount-v ed, a slide adapted to operate said lever, said slide being provided with a cam, a movable member adapted to engage with said cam whereby an intermittent reciprocating movement is imparted thereto and said picker finger is caused to engage and bend one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks inthe pile, means for releasing said picker finger from the blank, means for separating the blank from the pile, and means for ad'- vancing the blank.

17. Feeding mechanism for blanks, comprising, in combination, means for holding a pile of blanks, a removable support for the pile of blanks, means for bending one edge of a blank away from the adjacent blanks in the pile, means adapted to engage above said bent edge and support the-remaining blanks in the pile, and'means for imparting a reciprocating movement tosaid supporting means.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 21st day of May, 1914:.

Witnesses:

LEWIS J. DOOLITTLE, ISABELLE WARD.

ROBERT e. CLARK. 

